Big picture takeaways
- South Korea and Japan were among the top ten destination searches for internships, study, and volunteer abroad programmes in 2024.
- Italy was the number one destination for both internships and study abroad searches.
- Antarctica was the biggest surprise to be found among top study abroad searches.
- Nordic countries saw growth in interest for both volunteer and internships abroad.
GoAbroad.com has unveiled its latest data highlighting the fastest growing destinations for internships, volunteering, and study abroad programmes from searches on their website in 2024. The 2024 search trends reflect a blend of traditional favourites and emerging hotspots, suggesting a shift in traveller interests. The findings shed light on global trends, generational behaviours, economic factors, and new travel preferences that are reshaping the post-pandemic landscape of meaningful travel.
Based on GoAbroad.com search data, Japan and South Korea have emerged as cultural and professional development hotspots, while traditional favourites like Italy and Switzerland maintain their appeal. Searches for surprising new locations signal growing interest in niche programmes and underexplored regions, mirroring McKinsey’s report in mid-2024 that emphasised “Unexpected destinations are finding new ways to lure travelers and establish themselves alongside enduring favorites.”
From innovative internship hubs to volunteer programmes fostering global impact and study abroad locations with dynamic academic institutions, these destination search trends highlight the priorities of students and young professionals seeking hybrid international travel opportunities that blend international education, work experience, and social impact.
2024 destination search trends
Across three programme categories that GoAbroad.com tracks, internship, study, and volunteer, here are the top-line search trends from 2024.
South Korea and Japan prominent across top destination lists
South Korea and Japan secured positions in top ten destination lists for internship, study and volunteer abroad searches, underscoring their appeal in 2024. This is likely related to a growing global fascination with East Asian culture, including K-pop and anime.
Interest in Japan may have been helped by Tokyo’s role in hosting the 2020 summer Olympics. Japan’s continued investment in tourism will likely help to maintain its appeal to international visitors. South Korea’s temporary visa changes for travellers from Australia and New Zealand could further enhance its attractiveness to those looking for internship, volunteer, and study abroad experiences.
Italy at the top for internships and study abroad
A long-time student favourite, Italy claimed the top spot for both internship and study abroad destinations in 2024. Although not a new player in either programme category, Italy’s renowned educational institutions and rich cultural heritage continue to offer international students invaluable opportunities for both academic and professional growth. Furthermore, Italy’s strategic location in Europe provides easy access to other countries, enhancing its appeal to international students seeking comprehensive cultural travel opportunities.
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Switzerland’s growing appeal
Switzerland has emerged as a growing destination across all three programme search categories, internship, study and volunteer abroad. The multilingual nature of Switzerland, and its focus on sustainability continue to attract travellers of all kinds. Switzerland is also known for being a safe destination with a high-quality education system, offering a stable environment for international students and professionals alike.
Increased interest in Nordic countries
Nordic countries have seen a surge in interest for both volunteer and internships abroad. Known for their high quality of life, progressive social systems, and strong emphasis on sustainability, countries like Norway and Denmark are appealing to travellers. Internship and volunteer programmes in sectors such as renewable energy, technology, and design are particularly attractive in the Nordic region. Search data suggest there is growing interest in environmental conservation and social welfare projects and programmes too.
Antarctica makes an unexpected entrance to study abroad
Antarctica’s appearance as a top study abroad destination searched for in 2024 is surprising though perhaps indicative of a growing interest in environmental and climate studies. As global awareness of climate change grows, students will likely seeking first-hand opportunities for scientific exploration, particularly in glaciology, marine biology, and environmental science. Specialised programmes and partnerships with research institutions have made such expeditions more accessible to international students and travellers passionate about these fields.
2024 programme search trends
At programme category level, there are some fluctuations that deserve attention, indicating destinations to watch for growth within specific programme types.
Internship abroad destination trends
After a significant downfall due to the Coronavirus pandemic and global travel restrictions in 2020, China is making a comeback for internships. In 2024 China ranked number two for search growth as an internship abroad destination.
The United Arab Emirates was the most up-and-coming destination in 2024, with search growth pushing it into the top ten for internships abroad destinations.
Big traditional players like Brazil, France, Canada, Spain, and New Zealand continue to hold a place among the top ten destinations for internship abroad searches.
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Volunteer abroad destination trends
Current events, whether related to political issues or natural disasters, continue to have an impact on volunteer destinations of interest; this is reflected in Palestine, Ukraine, and Turkey showing up in top volunteer destinations for 2024. Other places like Poland may suggest a growing interest among travellers to seek international volunteer opportunities to help refugees.
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Study abroad destination trends
Although Italy holds the number one spot, Japan’s growth in interest is particularly noteworthy for study abroad, where searches for both summer and winter semester programmes are on the rise. With two other Asian destinations rounding out the top ten study abroad destination list, the Philippines and South Korea, Asia is becoming a common region to consider for academic opportunities. European countries continued to hold significant places among the top ten study abroad destinations, but Russia had the largest search growth.
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Opportunities for growth
Primary search queries vary by programme category
Destination continues to be the primary way travellers search for volunteer programmes, while subject or field searches lead for travellers seeking internship and study abroad programmes. This tendency highlights the importance of field-specific programmes for students and recent graduates who are looking to match their particular area of focus with potential international destinations. At the same time, this search tendency emphasises the value of building brand prominence in a destination. Becoming the go-to service provider for all types of projects and programmes offers travellers the “best-of” a specific destination or region.
There are destinations where interest outweighs available programmes
Many of the destinations with strong growth in search lack sufficient programmes to meet the apparent interest among GoAbroad users. Among these are internships in the UAE or Denmark, study abroad programmes in the Philippines or Antarctica, and volunteer placements in Turkey and Switzerland. These programme-destination combinations potentially represent new opportunities for organisations ready to expand.
Partnerships are key for growth
Growth in programmes located in lesser known or developing destinations signals opportunities for a variety of service providers, such as accommodation, insurance, day tours, and transportation. Identifying trusted partners to work with allows for synergies of knowledge and practice that aid efficiencies and innovation.
Post-COVID traveller interests have changed
GoAbroad compiled a meaningful travel forecast for 2019, and their internship, study abroad, and volunteer destinations are completely different from what the data has revealed for 2024. These trends highlight a dynamic shift in traveller preferences in 2024, influenced by a desire for unique cultural experiences, educational advancement, and meaningful contributions to the world.
About GoAbroad.com
GoAbroad’s mission is not only to connect travelers with meaningful experiences abroad, but to connect travelers with programs that ethically put value at the top of their priorities for their participants. For more information, contact the GoAbroad team at data@goabroad.com.
About WYSE Travel Confederation
WYSE Travel Confederation’s mission is to connect the global travel community through research, education, advocacy and networking activities that focus on youth travel, its benefits and opportunities. For more information, contact the WYSE research team at research@wysetc.org.